“Regulators” Resist Tax Collectors in the Carolinas

Charles-Town
(S. Carolina)
Sep. 12. —
The people called regulators have lately severely chastised one Lum, who is
come to town; but we have not yet learnt the real cause of this severity to
him. A letter from Pine-Tree-Hill (now called Camden) dated
the 6th instant,
contains the following intelligence, viz. “The
regulators have fixed upon the
5th of next month to have a meeting here,
to draw up their grievances, in order to be laid before the new assembly,
2500 or 3000 of them, from St.
Mark’s and St. David’s parishes,
are to rendezvous, on the
10th, at Eutaw, and thence proceed to
Charles-Town, to pursue the proper measures for redress. The regulators from
the Congaree, Broad and Saludy rivers, are not to proceed to town, unless
sent for by their brethren; but 1500 of them are to hold themselves in
readiness, in case they should be wanted. They do not intend the least injury
to any person in town, desiring only provisions and quarters till their
complaints shall be heard. The confusion in North-Carolina is still greater
than in this province, where the people of Orange county again threaten
Col. Fenning
[Edmund Fanning],
and refuse paying any taxes till an act granting an enormous sum for building
a house for the Governor be repealed; so that Governor [William] Tryon has
been obliged to draught 2000 men from Mecklenburg and Dobbs counties to
overawe them, who are to march from the town of Mecklenburg
the 12th
instant. Two of their leaders have been secured, but its apprehended
they will be released before they can be brought to trial, as the people in
general complain loudly of the above mentioned act as a great grievance, as
well as of that laying a duty on paper, glass,
&c. which
will soon drain from them the little specie they have. Their paper currency
being mostly sank, and a poll tax of eleven shillings proclamation money does
not fail to add to the distresses of the country.”

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